James Edward Partin, age 78, departed this life peacefully on October 10, 2021 at his home in Louisville, Alabama after a hard-fought battle with prostate cancer.
He was born May 3, 1943 in Atlanta, Georgia to Roy William and Sarah Connor Partin. Jim lost his mother to breast cancer in 1948 at four years old. He was blessed at the time to live with his father and his Aunt Bobbie who was only one year older than he and was a dear sister to him as he navigated the loss of his mother.
Jim had a natural love for sports and found success on most fields. He focused on football and baseball at Chamblee High School where he was named “Mr. Football” for the state of Georgia his senior year.
He left his home state of Georgia to play football at Auburn University for Coach Shug Jordan. He would later learn that it was not actually for football at all, but to take a mandatory folk dancing P.E. class in the winter of ’62 to meet his future beloved wife of 56 years, Mary Christina Price (Tina).
He achieved great things on the football field at Auburn, but she will always be his trophy.
Jim and Tina married on September 5, 1965. After a brief stint in the management training program at General Motors in Atlanta, he was sworn into the Navy in November of 1966. After completing the officer’s training program in Pensacola, FL, the Partins moved to Norfolk, VA, and then to San Diego, CA, before Jim departed for Vietnam. Jim was a Lieutenant on the ship Jerome County.
After returning from Vietnam, they spent a year in San Diego before returning to Tina’s hometown of Louisville, Alabama to settle and raise a family.
Jim believed in hard work no matter the task at hand. He spent a few years learning various small-town businesses from farming to banking, but ultimately found his calling as a Headmaster and coach. He was as loved on the field as he was in the classroom. He demanded excellence in both, and his players and students rose to the occasion. He helped build a strength of character in many young men while pretending to simply coach them in a game he loved. He inspired confidence in students who lacked the natural tendency to learn.
He and Tina were a team and poured their lives into the lives of so many young people throughout the years.
Jim was steadfast in his strong faith, and it dictated every decision he made. He led with a quiet confidence that was comforting to all. He used his strength to build others up. His integrity was inspiring.
He is no doubt looking down with his famous, broad grin at the wonderful life he lived and the legacy of children, grandchildren, coaches, teachers, and parents that he helped shape.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
Jim is survived by his wife, Tina Partin and three children, Will Partin, Polly Germann (Lew), and Jenny Stegall (Will). Jim was an adoring grandfather to six grandchildren, Marion Hill (Adonis), Christina Lovelock, Annie Stegall, William Stegall, JEB Stegall, Henry Stegall, and great grandson, Vincent Hill and by his siblings Bobbie Gay (Dallas), Joy Ellenburg (John), and Johnny Partin (Deborah).
Funeral services will be held January 8, 2022 at 3:00 pm at Louisville United Methodist Church in Louisville, Alabama with Shane Seaborn officiating and Glover Funeral Home of Clayton directing. Burial will follow in the Louisville Cemetery.
